Acts 2 - Day 713 (link to reading)
Scripture: Acts 2:22-24 Observation: Jesus commissioned his apprentices to spread His gospel/good news throughout the world (starting in Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria, then to the rest of the world) but told them to wait for the Holy Spirit to descend upon them. The apprentices obey Jesus’ commands and wait. Ten days later, they are baptized/saturated with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) and a good portion of Jerusalem comes to investigate what caused all the commotion. Peter uses that opportunity to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ. He confronts the crowd with the ugly truth that they were guilty of taking part in the crucifixion of Jesus. The lesson - without any conviction, there is no motivation to change. Application: When faced with the truth, do I hide, deflect or try to learn the lesson that’s before me? Prayer: Holy Spirit, please draw me closer to you by convicting me of my sins. Acts 1 - Day 712 (link to reading)
Summary: The Book of Acts concerns the vital period in Christian history between the resurrection of Jesus and the death of the apostle Paul, the time when Christian ideas and beliefs were being formulated and when the organization of the church into a worldwide movement was being developed. Acts can be neatly divided into two sections, the first dealing primarily with the ministry of Peter in Jerusalem and Samaria (Acts 1–12) and the second following Paul on his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire (Acts 13–28). Acts is significant for chronicling the spread of the gospel, not only geographically but also culturally. It records the transition from taking the gospel to an exclusively Jewish audience—with Peter preaching to a small group in the Upper Room—to the gospel going out among the Gentiles, primarily under the ministry of the apostle Paul. The transition is best illustrated by Peter’s vision in which he heard a voice telling him, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy” (10:15). This led Peter to then share the gospel with many Gentiles. The lesson? God wants His message of hope and salvation to extend to all people—“in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (1:8). Scripture: Acts 1:1-8 Application: Purpose is a powerful thing. Having something to get you out of bed every morning is necessary to live a fruitful and fulfilling life. Thank God that He has invited us to partner with Him to fulfill His plans to reconcile the world back to Himself. I can't think of anything else that's more important than helping people know Jesus. Prayer: Lord, use me as Your vessel today... Proverbs 31 - Day 711 (link to reading)
Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-9 Commentary (biblehub.com - Benson): Of Solomon, by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian writers: this name signifies one from God, or, belonging to God, and such a one was Solomon eminently, being given by God to David and Bath-sheba as a pledge of his reconciliation to them after their repentance. Possibly his mother gave him this name to remind him of his great obligations to God, and of the justice and necessity of his devoting himself to God’s service. Application: The bible tells us that Solomon was the wisest man to have lived on earth. However, even Solomon didn't listen to his mother. Why do we (human beings) make it so difficult? Prayer: Lord, help us... Proverbs 30 - Day 710 (link to reading)
Scripture: Proverbs 30:1-5 Commentary (thegospelcoalition.org): Proverbs 30 is one of the more puzzling passages in Scripture. Not because we find its truths hard to accept, or its statements bottomless and profound, or its portrait of God unsettling or offensive. No, Proverbs 30 is just plain weird. It offers enigmatic claims, non sequiturs, and material that has no obvious theological or ethical application for our lives. Application: I disagree with the above commentary from the gospel coalition. I understand Agur's weariness and can relate to his feeling of inadequacy. The key, as prescribed in v.7-9, is to rely on God. Not superficially, but in an earnest, desperate way - as if your life depended on it. Prayer: Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner... Psalm 69 - Day 709 (link to reading)
Scripture: Psalm 69:13-15 Commentary (workingpreacher.org); The psalm consists of the typical elements of a lament, a prayer in time of trouble. For a good example of an individual lament see Psalm 13, which contains a complaint in you, I, and they forms (verses 1-2), a cry for help (verses 3-4), an affirmation of trust (verse 5) and a vow to praise (verse 6). Especially frequent in Psalm 69 are desperate cries for help. Here is a volley of 911 calls to God expressed in 16 of the psalm’s 36 verses: verses 1,6,13-18, 22-29. There are also a good number of complaints: verses 2-4, 7-12, 19-21, affirmations of trust (verses 5, 33) and a vow to praise (verses 30-36). Verses 35-36 locate the psalm sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. Application: Ever feel like God has abandoned you? You're not alone, unique, or the exception. I don't know 'why" God feels distant, but I do know what it feels like. Yet, I would rather wait patiently than face the alternative. Prayer: Lord Jesus, reveal yourself to us... |
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January 2024
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